Cardale Jones Fools NFL, Announces He's Staying At Ohio State

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After all signs pointed to him going pro, Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones announced that he's returning to school at a press conference on Thursday.

Jones experienced one of the most rapid rises of any potential NFL Draft prospect in recent memory. He was the third-string quarterback back in August, and spent the first 11 games of the season on the bench.

He made his first start in the Big 10 championship game after the two quarterbacks in front of him got hurt. He promptly led the team on an improbable national title run, vaulting his NFL Draft stock in the process.

While NFL talent evaluators were torn on him, some predicted that he could be the third quarterback taken in the draft.

It seemed like he was going to go pro on Thursday.

He tweeted this in the morning announcing a press conference:

The press conference was held at his high school, not at Ohio State, which seemingly suggested he was on his way to the pros. At the press conference he walked out to the Drake song, "Started From The Bottom."

And then he fooled everyone, announcing that he's staying in school.

"My decision was very simple" he said, "I'm gonna return next year for school."

He said he wants to stay in school and get his degree so he can be a financial planner after football.

The NFL world was floored:

Now he'll go back to Columbus, where he'll be fighting to retain the starting spot that he just got six weeks ago.